Volunteer Ministers of the European Goodwill Tour visit Helsinki, Finland, one of the loveliest, safest, most stable and freest cities in the world.

Friendliness and warmth—this is how the members of the Scientology Volunteer Ministers European Goodwill Tour speak of the people of Helsinki.

On the southern coast of Finland, Helsinki is a city with everything—museums, festivals, universities. Helsinki’s contribution to the world of design is officially recognized by UNESCO. It is a beautiful coastal city with more than 300 islands in its archipelago. Helsinki is known as the White City for its midsummer white nights—daylight virtually around the clock—and for its snow-covered cityscapes all winter long.

The Volunteer Ministers set up their bright yellow tents in squares and marketplaces throughout the city.

“The Finnish are decent, productive people and Finland is known as one of the safest, most stable and freest countries in the world,” said one of the volunteers, whose mission it is to make the technology and help of the Volunteer Minister program available everywhere and anywhere. “Even here, though, where life is so much better than in many other cities, there are personal and social issues that make life difficult.”

With visits to the tent’s exhibit, one-on-one help, courses and seminars, the Volunteer Ministers reached thousands of local residents. “We found the most common problem people were running into was drug abuse,” said the VM, “and there is an entire section of the Scientology Handbook to help someone help a loved one or friend—or even themselves—overcome this problem.”

The tent is set up with panels covering each chapter of the Scientology Handbook. Those touring the tent are introduced to these tools for life, including how to improve communication, resolve conflicts, raise happy and self-reliant children, improve one’s ability to cope and succeed in the workplace, and study skills that enable anyone to learn and apply new subjects and apply new skills.

In launching the Volunteer Ministers program, L. Ron Hubbard wrote, “If one does not like the crime, cruelty, injustice and violence of this society, he can do something about it. He can become a Volunteer Minister and help civilize it, bring it conscience and kindness and love and freedom from travail by instilling into it trust, decency, honesty and tolerance.”

The Church of Scientology Volunteer Minister program is a religious social service created in the mid-1970s by L. Ron Hubbard. Anyone of any culture or creed may train as a Volunteer Minister and use these tools to help their families and communities. The Church provides free online training on the Volunteer Ministers website.

Watch films based on the tools of the Volunteer Minister on the Scientology Network.